'Assassination plot' against MP Paylan: 'Minorities always used as baits in Türkiye'

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Two weeks ago, a former lawyer for the Alaattin Çakıcı, an ultranationalist figure convicted of leading a criminal gang, claimed to reveal an assassination plot against Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Garo Paylan, Türkiye's only Armenian MP.

Paylan was going to be assassinated in the parliament in 2016, but the plot was aborted at the last minute, according to the claims of Mehmet Sinan İnce.

It was Levent Göktaş, a former special operations officer who is also a suspect in the case concerning the 2022 assassination of Prof. Necip Hablemitoğlu and is now a fugitive, who was plotting against Paylan, İnce wrote on social media.

On Wednesday (August 17), he filed a criminal complaint regarding the claims.

"Even though it's been two weeks since an assassination plot targeting me was revealed, neither the government nor prosecutors have taken action. For this reason, I have filed a criminal complaint. Let me note that those who protect criminals are accomplices," he wrote on Twitter.

The politician has also been receiving threats since late April, when he submitted a law proposal for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

While he has received many death threats and didn't take them seriously, İnce's claims were different, Paylan told bianet. "Because this assassination plot was organized by the state, and, for this reason, it's very important."

"This person [Göktaş] is said to be an instigator of the murder of Necip Hablemitoğlu, but he has been sent abroad. This means that criminals are being protected.

"The lawyer who made these revelations has also disappeared. The duty of the state is to deal with these. But, unfortunately, it's not done."

"Planned attacks"

Noting the recent attacks on Alevi leaders and places of worship, he said, "In Türkiye, those who are in the position of being 'others' and their representatives live in great danger.

"Recently, there was an attack on Alevi institutions. The Kurdish people are constantly being attacked. An impression is being created that an attack could be carried out against me, a known representative of the Armenians.

"All of these arise from the power struggle within the state. We are heading to the elections, and there is a fight to gain power in Ankara. Minorities have always been used as 'baits' in the games of power within the state.

"The Hrant Dink murder was also committed for this reason. Hrant Dink was both wanted to be silenced and used as a 'bait' in the power struggle within the state.

"Today, Alevis and Armenians are being used as baits. These shady plans are being made today because many crimes in the past have not been dealt with."

"Suppressing our demands"

Minorities in Türkiye demand confrontation with the past and equal citizenship, and the ruling power and "shady powers within the state" want o suppress these demands, said Paylan.

"Both Alevis and Kurds want equal citizenship. Our demands are wanted to be suppressed, and making way for this mentality paves the way for provocations against us. This has always been the case. We are seen as elements who should be intimidated and suppressed.

"There are plans like, 'If an Armenian is killed, if an Alevi is attacked, society polarizes and the power remains in our hands. There may be plans for a new coup through these plans.

"There were the dynamics of coup plans in 2007 and 2015. It turned into a coup attempt in 2016. A faction within the state is trying to regain the power, and another faction does not want to lose the power they have.

"But, it should not be forgotten that Türkiye will be the loser because of these plans, it should be seen and a stance should be taken accordingly."

"It's not only about me"

"Minorities in a country can only continue their existence if there is democracy," said Paylan.

"Minorities are the first ones to be looked at in the struggle for democracy in a country. Can they speak freely? Is there respect for their faith and identity? Can they confront their past tragedies? In recent years, Türkiye has been on the decline in all of these. And we, the minorities, began to live like 'nervous pigeons' again.

"When there is an attack on minorities in democratic countries, the responsibility is on the majority. If the majority remains silent, the minorities are silenced. For this reason, I'm calling on everyone to take responsibility. It's not about Garo Paylan, it is about democratization." (RT/VK)